How many decisions do you think you make in a day? The research I’ve seen says its anywhere from 600 or so to 10,000 on average. When I think about all of the relatively inconsequential decisions I make every day (e.g. what shirt to wear, what I’m going to have for breakfast, etc.), I’m inclined to go with the higher number. Any way you slice it, it’s a lot of daily decisions for most people.

Most of us tend to get into a well grooved loop of actions and results (or cause and effect if you like). That’s a good thing for the most part because with all of those decisions we’re making everyday, we’d have total analysis paralysis if we had to actively stop and think about every decision we make or action we take.

So, it’s a good thing until it’s no longer good thing. And when is it no longer a good thing? It’s no longer a good thing when you stop getting the results you want, need or expect.

Sometimes, we can be so caught up in our minds that it’s hard to see that it’s no longer working. That’s why it’s important to periodically pull your perspective back and mindfully ask some questions that will help you look at the bigger picture.

Here are five of my favorites. What other questions would you add to the list?

How do the results I’m getting today compare to the ones I got six months ago?

What’s changed that might affect the results that are needed now?

What’s changed about the definition of a successful result?

Is what I’ve been doing still working?

What should I start or stop doing to get different results?

And, one of my favorite bonus questions – Am I really the best person to do what needs to be done?

What questions would you add to the list for anyone who wants to step back, take a deep breath and assess what’s working and what’s not?

Executive coach Scott Eblin’s goal is to help you succeed at the next level of leadership. Throughout the week, he’ll offer his take on the leadership lessons in the news and his advice on your most pressing leadership questions. A former government executive, Scott is a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and is the author of The Next Level: What Insiders Know About Executive Success.

By using this service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or
otherwise objectionable. Although GovExec.com does not monitor comments posted to this site (and
has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems
to be in violation of this rule.